Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog announced on Tuesday that it has launched a criminal investigation into an AI-generated pornography scandal at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the city’s oldest university.
A student allegedly created explicit images of female classmates and lecturers using artificial intelligence.
Over the weekend, three individuals accused a HKU law student of generating pornographic images of at least 20 women without their consent. This marks the first high-profile case of AI misuse of this nature in Hong Kong.
The university drew public criticism after it issued only a warning letter and demanded an apology from the student, prompting outrage over what was seen as a lenient response.
On Tuesday, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data stated that disclosing someone’s personal data without consent, with the intent to cause harm, could constitute a criminal offence. The office confirmed it had opened a criminal probe into the case but declined to comment further.
The accusers noted that current Hong Kong law criminalises the distribution of intimate images, including AI-generated ones, but not the creation of such images. As there is no indication the student shared the content, the victims may have no legal recourse under existing criminal laws.
The images were reportedly discovered by a friend on the student’s laptop.
Experts have warned that the HKU case could be the beginning of a much broader issue involving non-consensual AI-generated content.
Annie Chan, a former associate professor at Lingnan University, said, “The HKU case clearly shows that anyone could be a perpetrator—no environment is entirely safe.”
Women’s rights groups have criticised Hong Kong’s outdated legal protections. Doris Chong, executive director of the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, said some victims feel devastated because they never posed for such photos, yet the AI creations appear alarmingly realistic.
Chief Executive John Lee responded at a press briefing, stating that most of Hong Kong’s laws apply to online activities as well.
HKU said it will review the matter and may take further action if warranted.